Oh come good people all young and old, young and old,
Oh come good people all young and old.
It's of an Admiral brave called Benbow by his name,
How he fought on the raging main you shall hear, you shall hear.

Brave Benbow he set sail for to fight, for to fight,
Brave Benbow he set sail for to fight.
Brave Benbow he set sail in a sweet and pleasant gale
But his captains they turned tail in a fright, in a fright.

Says Kirby unto Wade, “I will run, I will run.”
Says Kirby unto Wade, “I will run,
For I value no disgrace, even losing of my place,
But the enemy I won't face nor their guns, nor their guns.”

So Brave Benbow gave the signal for to fight, for to fight,
So Brave Benbow gave the signal for to fight.
The ships boxed up and down and the shots they flew all around
And the men came tumbling down, there they lay, there they lay.

Admiral Benbow lost his legs by chain shot, by chain shot,
Admiral Benbow lost his legs by chain shot.
He down on his stumps did fall and so bitterly he did call,
“Fight on my British tars, 'tis my lot, 'tis my lot.”

While the surgeon dressed his wounds, oh he cried, oh he cried,
While the surgeon dressed his wounds oh he cried.
“Let my cradle now in haste on the quarter deck be placed
That the enemy I may face 'til I'm dead, 'til I'm dead.”

'Twas on Tuesday morning last Benbow died, Benbow died,
'Twas on Tuesday morning last Benbow died.
'Twas a shocking sight to see, Admiral Benbow carried away,
He was buried in Kingston church, there he lay, there he lay.

Draw near, ye gallant seamen, while I the truth unfold
Of as gallant a naval victory as ever yet was told.
The second day of April last, upon the Baltic main,
Parker, Nelson, and their brave tars fresh laurels there did gain.

Ch: With their thundering and roaring, rattling and roaring.
Thundering and roaring bombs

Gallant Nelson volunteer'd himself, with twelve sail form'd a line,
And in the Road of Copenhagen he began his grand design;
His tars, with usual courage, their valour did display,
And destroy'd the Danish navy upon that glorious day.

With strong floating batteries in van and rear we find,
The enemy in centre had six ships of the line—
At ten that glorious morning the fight begun, it's true;
We Copenhagen set on fire, my boys, before the clock struck two.

When this armament we had destroy'd, we anchor'd near the town,
And with our bombs were fully bent to burn their city down;
Revenge for poor Matilda's wrongs our seamen swore they'd have;
But they sent a flag of truce on board, their city for to save.

For the loss of his eye and arm, bold Nelson does declare,
The foes of his country not an inch of them he'll spare;
The Danes he's made to rue the day that they ever Paul did join,
Eight ships he burnt, four he sunk, and took six of the line.

Now drink a health to gallant Nelson, the wonder of the world,
Who, in defence of his country, his thunder loud has hurled;
And to his bold and valiant tars who plough the raging sea,
And who never were afraid to face the daring enemy.

Now, 'tis of a handsome female as you should understand,
She had a mind for roving unto some foreign land,
Attired in sailor's clothing she boldly did appear,
And engaged with a captain to serve him for a year.

She engaged with a captain, a cabin boy to be.
The wind it being in favor they proudly put to sea.
The captain's lady being on board she seemed in great joy,
To think the captain had engaged a handsome cabin boy.

So gentle was this pretty maid, she did her duty well;
Then what followed next, me boys, the song itself will tell:
The captain and this pretty maid did oftimes kiss and toy,
For he soon found out the secret of the handsome cabin boy.

Her cheeks were like the rosebuds and her sidelocks all in curl;
The sailors often smiled and said he looks just like a girl.
Through eating cabin biscuits her color did destroy,
And the waist did swell of pretty Nell, the handsome cabin boy.

As through the Bay o' Biscay our gallant ship did plow,
One night among the sailors there was an awful row;
They tumbled from their hammocks, it did their rest destroy,
They swore it was the groaning of the handsome cabin boy.

"Oh doctor! Oh, doctor!" the cabin boy did cry;
The sailors swore by all that's good the cabin boy would die.
The doctor he came runnin'-a-smilin' at the fun,
To think the sailor boy would have a daughter or a son.

Now when the sailors heard the joke, they all began to state;
"The child belongs to none of us," they solemnly did swear.
The lady to the captain said, "My dear, I wish you joy,
It's either you or I betrayed the handsome cabin boy!"